Episodes

We keep it real with Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and discuss: Cinematography, closeups vs mediums and wides for comedy & connection; Story & Writing, but/therefore storytelling, sequels honoring their predecessors, Lydia’s arc; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “With movies, you are always in search of a good story, one that everyone will relate to and love.“ – Don Bluth Notes & References: Matt Stone & Trey Parker on storytelling using “Therefore / But” (YouTube) – The dr...

We jump in the line of Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice” and discuss: Cinematography, motivating unmotivated lighting, reveals; Story & Writing, rules for adventure, plot vs emotional arcs; Music, double music cues, setting the tone; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “You don’t know whether chimps are going to kill you or kiss you. They’re very open on some levels and much more evil in a certain way.“ – Tim Burton Notes & References: End scene of Lydia dancing (YouTube) – the essence of joy...

We burst into Fede Alvarez’s “Alien: Romulus” and discuss: Story & Writing, body horror, Andy, dystopias; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Science fiction writers, I am sorry to say, really do not know anything. We can’t talk about science, because our knowledge of it is limited and unofficial, and usually our fiction is dreadful.“ – Philip K. Dick Notes & References: Ridley Scott & Fede Alvarez discuss “Rook” (LATimes.com) Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: The Van...

We anoint Shia LaBeouf’s “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” and discuss: Cinematography & Directing, camerawork, continuity vs performance; Story & Writing, the saints; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.“ – Marcus Aurelius Notes & References: Dito Montiel iMDB Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: The post Ep 287: “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” appeared first on The Pestle.

We stride through Jim Henson’s “The Dark Crystal” and discuss: Cinematography, lighting, camerawork; Puppetry & Directing, process preceding/creating story; Special Guest Elissa Marie talks art, building a business as an artist, and being named Best Visual Artist in Austin; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there.“ – Jim Henson ...

We pop into Ryan Reynolds’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” and discuss: Story & Writing, macguffins, stakes, comedy; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Just one supernova can temporarily outshine an entire galaxy of 100 billion stars.“ – Michio Kaku Notes & References: “Supernova” by Mad Valley – Todd’s latest music track “Bye Bye Bye” dancing is not Ryan Reynolds after all (withashleyandco.com) Madonna “Like a Prayer” music video (YouTube) MacGuffin (wiki) Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s ...

We make a res with Christian Bale’s “American Psycho” and discuss: Cinematography, lighting a flat shot, hallway composition; Story & Writing, symbolism; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Well first of all you have to make the character strong so that people can follow that. And then hopefully that character can integrate with the background of the social situation that people can recognize.“ – Oliver Stone Notes & References: Willem Dafoe played scene interrogation scene multiple wa...

We sincerely reminisce about Stephen King’s “Stand By Me” and discuss: Cinematography, rule of thirds; Story & Writing, coming of age stories, friendship, facing your own mortality; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “That’s the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.“ – from Stephen King’s novella “The Body” Notes & References: River Phoenix had a lot of films before Stand By Me (iMDB) Nick Drake “Pink Moon” o...

We tiptoe through Lupita Nyong’o’s “A Quiet Place: Day One” and discuss: Writing & Story, suspending disbelief, theme & plot; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “I’ll tell you what freedom is to me: no fear. I mean really, no fear!“ – Nina Simone Notes & References: Joseph Quinn (iMDB) – Stranger Things season 4 Reclamation (wiki) – “returning disturbed lands to an improved state” which would make sense in the context of an iron ore mine Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendati...

We go to war with “Godzilla Minus One” and discuss: Cinematography, revealing scale; Story & Writing, Godzilla the metaphor; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “War does not determine who is right – only who is left.“ – Bertrand Russell Notes & References: Japan war atrocities(wiki) Unit 731(wiki) Firebombing Japan (wiki) Budget is estimated between $10-12 Million (wiki), with a box office return of $115 Million Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: The post Ep 281: “God...

We drop into Dwayne Johnson’s respawn of an old classic, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and discuss: Cinematography, shooting night for night instead of day for night; Story & Writing, physical comedy, character arcs; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Being in the same room with people and creating something together is a good thing.“ – Robin Williams Notes & References: According to the credits they only had 2 cameras on set, which to be fair is far easier to light for and manage...

We rub George Miller’s “Three Thousand Years of Longing” and discuss: Cinematography, how compositing, motion blur, and depth of field help tell the story; Story & Writing, Enzo, Storytelling; Wes rants about why this movie may not have done well in theaters; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you…I could walk through my garden forever.“ – Alfred Tennyson Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: Novo Amor on YouTube, Spotify, Ap...

We stowaway in George Miller’s “Furiosa” and discuss: Story & Writing, mercy in the wasteland, teleporting; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!“ – from Don Quixote, by Miguel Cervantes Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: The post...

We give “Fallout” a thumb’s up and discuss: Story & Writing, Lucy’s character arc, great exposition; Guest Joe Howes solves cold fusion during an offscreen scene; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “You only know me as you see me, not as I actually am.“ – Immanuel Kant Notes & References: *Correction: Fallout 4 was released Nov. 10, 2015, so not quite a decade Turner & Hooch Trailer (YouTube) USD file format from Pixar/Disney (Pixar.com) Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendation...

We crash into “The Fall Guy” and discuss: Story & Writing, great stakes, breaking the rule of repeats; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “I think if you have ability and talent in one way, you have it in all ways. I’m not a jack of all trades; I’m a master of many. I don’t feel there is anything I can’t do if I want to.“ – Evel Knievel Notes & References: “The Six Million Dollar Man” starred Lee Majors (iMDB) Aaron Taylor-Johnson was in “Bullet Train” (iMDB) Stunt driver Logan Holla...

We narrate Will Ferrell’s “Stranger Than Fiction” and discuss: Cinematography, infinite zoom, story through shadows; Story & Writing, rule of repeats, naming conventions, ticking clock; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Kind words don’t cost much. Yet they accomplish much.“ – Blaise Pascal Notes & References: “Office Zombies” short film – Wes’ first writing/directing effort from 2014 (YouTube) Cucoloris (wiki) Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: “Remains of the Day...

We swing through Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man” and discuss: Cinematography, camerawork, visual motifs; Story & Writing, emotional engagement, setting up payoffs; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Grief changes shape, but it never ends.“ – Keanu Reeves Notes & References: Todd’s band: Mad Valley vinyl album Byron Reese speaker demo reel – they kinda f**cked with the edit with their branding tbh, but it’s the only public version I can find. Watch us on YouTube! Art Spotlight: Mad Valley ...

We document Alex Garland’s “Civil War” and discuss: Cinematography, compositions; Story & Writing, strong character arcs; Sound design, music; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.“ – George Orwell Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: The post Ep 273: “Civil War” appeared first on The Pestle.

We migrate to Celine Song’s “Past Lives” and discuss: Cinematography, long takes, composition and blocking; Story & Writing, immigration, notes from the screenplay; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.“ – Jimmy Carter Notes & References: A24 Podcast with Celine Song and Sofia Coppola (A24films.com) Watch us on YouTube! Art Spotlight: This We...

We karate chop Matt Damon’s “The Bourne Identity” and discuss: Cinematography, camerawork, lighting; Sound design & editing; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “There can be no faith in government if our highest offices are excused from scrutiny – they should be setting the example of transparency.“ – Edward Snowden Notes & References: Todd is correct, the song in the final scene is Moby’s “Extreme Ways” (YouTube) Cinematographer Oliver Wood also shot “Face/Off”, “U-571”, “Talladega Ni...

We tour Martin McDonagh’s “In Bruges” and discuss: Directing & Cinematography; Story & Writing, innocence, ethics of murder; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.“ – Oscar Wilde Notes & References: *Correction: Elf came out in 2003 “Poor Things” did win an Oscar for Best Production Design that went to James Price and Shona Heath Martin McDonagh is British-Irish (wiki) W...

We claw through Jon Favreau’s “Swingers” and discuss: Cinematography, Directing & DP’ing, blocking; Story & Writing, Titles, Theme, Homages; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.“ – Voltaire Notes & References: “An oral history of Swingers” (Grantland.com) – Amazing retelling of how the film came to be! Apparently Favreau didn’t even set out to write a film, he was just practicing screenwriting with some script software he was giv...

We hit 88 mph through Michael J. Fox’s “Back to the Future” and discuss: Cinematography, performance and editing; Story & Writing, cars, clocks, and loops, Marty’s arc; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Affliction comes to us, not to make us sad but sober; not to make us sorry but wise.“ – H.G. Wells Notes & References: Eric Stoltz shot for six weeks before being replaced by Michael J. Fox Michael J. Fox shot Family Ties while filming Back to the Future (YouTube) Watch us on YouTub...

We chip and shatter Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune part 2” and discuss: Cinematography, exposure for story, backlighting the sun; Story & Writing, na-Baron; Performances, Zendaya’s layers, Javier Bardem going all out; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “You can have the power to destroy, but it doesn’t give you the power to reform, or improve, or build.“ – George R.R. Martin Notes & References: Update 3/27/2024: Denis went on the DGA Podcast with Spielberg and said that the kissing scene ac...